The Senate has passed for third reading a bill seeking to establish the National Agency for Malaria Elimination, a new body designed to coordinate national efforts aimed at preventing, controlling, and ultimately eradicating malaria in Nigeria.
The legislation was considered and adopted following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo (Rivers West). The bill was sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North).
According to the committee, the proposed agency will streamline malaria elimination programmes nationwide and shift Nigeria’s approach from treatment-centred interventions to prevention-driven and long-term eradication strategies.
It is also expected that the agency would set up zonal and state offices to support implementation, guided by a framework built on law, scientific research, and accountability mechanisms.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, described the development as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s public health response, noting that malaria remains one of the country’s most persistent health challenges.
Speaking after the passage of the bill, Senator Ned Nwoko expressed confidence that malaria elimination in Nigeria is achievable, insisting that the country has the capacity to lead Africa in eradicating the disease.
He explained that the proposed agency would adopt a broad strategy that includes environmental sanitation, fumigation, and vaccine research, adding that effective implementation could make Nigeria the first malaria-free country on the continent.
The development comes amid renewed global efforts to combat malaria, particularly in vulnerable populations such as infants and young children.
The World Health Organisation recently announced prequalification approval for a malaria treatment designed specifically for newborns and infants, marking a major advancement in treatment safety and accessibility.
The drug, artemether-lumefantrine, is the first antimalarial formulation developed specifically for very young children.
WHO said the approval confirms that the medicine meets international standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness.
Before this development, infants were often treated with formulations designed for older children, increasing the risk of dosage errors, side effects, and toxicity.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the progress as a turning point in the global fight against malaria.
“For centuries, malaria has stolen children from their parents, and health, wealth and hope from communities.
“But today, the story is changing. New vaccines, diagnostic tests, next-generation mosquito nets and effective medicines, including those adapted for the youngest, are helping to turn the tide.
“Ending malaria in our lifetime is no longer a dream, it is a real possibility, but only with sustained political and financial commitment. Now we can. Now we must,” he said.
According to WHO data, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with Africa accounting for about 95 per cent of cases and deaths.
Children under five remain the most affected group, accounting for a significant share of fatalities.
The UN health agency also noted that progress in malaria control is being slowed by challenges such as drug resistance, insecticide resistance, diagnostic failures, and declining international funding support.
